Fork.



PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

L. L. PRATT.

FORK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15.1906.

LOUIS LEON PRATT, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

FORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed May 15,1906. Serial No. 316,940.

To ail whm'n, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis LEON PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Forks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in forks, and refers particularly to an improved form of carving fork.

The object of my invention, is the provision of a carving fork by means of which meat or other material may be securely held with little effort, and which will serve the purpose of an ordinary serving fork as well as a carving fork.

A further object is to provide a simple construction of fork which will be durable and inexpensive and will be useful for a great many purposes.

With these objects in view, my invention consists of a fork comprising a pair of han dles, a spring securing the handles together at one end, fork tines secured to the other ends of the handles, a guard pivoted to the lower set of tines inclosing the shank of the upper tines, and means for locking the tines together.

My invention further consists of a fork em bodying other novel features of construction, combination and, arrangement of parts as herein disclosed.

Figure 1, is a side elevation of my improved fork in folded or closed position, the dotted lines indicating the open or extended position. Fig. 2, is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3, is a detail view of the locking means for securing the parts in closed position.

Referring to the drawings: the numerals 1 and 2, designate the upper and lower handles of the fork respectively, which are secured together at the rear end, by the bowed flat spring 3, which spring tends to hold the handles apart or in extended position. At the forward ends of the respective handles, are secured the upper and lower sets of tines 4i and 5, so formed that when folded, the

points of the forks coincide, the upper set being slightly longer than the lower set. Pivoted at 6, to the shank 7, of the lower tines is the spring guard or yoke 8, which embraces the shank 9, of the upper set of tines, and thus limits the opening movement of the tines. The guard is formed with lower flaring ends 10, to provide a proder support for the fork, and the upper end of the guard is curved so as to lie flat upon the fork.

The shank of the lower tines, adjacent the point of pivotal connection of the guard, is recessed or notched on each side at 11, and when the guard is opened, it is sprung into these notches and is thereby held upright. The shank of the upper tines, is formed with the pair of ribs or ridges 12, on either side to prevent the guard sliding too far back when the fork is extended. Between said ridges 12, and the point of connection to the handle, the shank is formed with the squared reduced neck portion 13, upon which is slidably mounted, the collar or ring 14, formed on the upper face with the finger plate 15, for con veniently operating the same. To the upper side of the lower shank, is secured a hook 16, adapted to engage a seat or recess 17, in the lower side of the upper shank. To lock the tines together, the handles are pressed together so that the hook engages the recess in the upper shank, and the collar is moved until it covers said recess and thereby engages the hook inclosed therein.

In carving a large piece of meat or other material, the tines are opened and. the meat is thus securely held at two different points, thus rendering the carving much easier to perform. After the carving is finished, the 85 tines may be folded, and the fork then serves as an excellent means for serving the material.

From this description taken in connection with the drawings, it will be evident that I 0 have provided a most useful and desirable table article which is practical and thoroughly efficient.

I claim:

1. The combination with an upper and 5 lower handle, a spring secured between the handles at one end, tines carried by the respective handles, a guard pivoted to the lower handle inclosing the upper handle, and means for locking the tines in juxtaposition.

2. A fork consisting of a handle comprising two members, a spring forming the COI1I1G0 tion between the members at one end, a set of tines carried by the respective members, a guard pivoted to one tine inclosing the other 10 tine, and a catch mounted on one tine ad apted to engage a hook on the other tine.

3. In a fork, the combination with a pair of handles, of a spring forming the connection between the handles at one end, a set of no tines carried by each of the handles, a guard secured to one handle and limiting the out- Ward movement of the other handle, and a sleeve slidable on one handle to engage the opposite handle.

4. A fork comprising a pair of handles, elastic means forming the connection between the handles at one end, a set of tines carried byg' each handle and adapted to nest 10 one against the other, a guard carried by one handle encompassing the opposite handle to limit the movement thereof, and a catch carried by one handle to engage the opposite handle and lock the tines in juxtaposition.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses. v

LOUIS LEON PRATT lVitnesses: DAVID THOMAS,

ELIAs S. WooDRUFF. 

